Grasshoppers Win Game One, 9-1 

Greensboro, N.C. – Greensboro scored four runs in the seventh and eighth innings, breaking a 1-1 tie, to capture game one, 9-1, Tuesday night at First National Bank Field.

Greenville only managed five hits on the night, a homer and one double. Brandon Howlett led the way with the only RBI of the night on a solo shot, his seventh of the year. Kole Cottam registered the only other extra-base hit, a double. Cam Cannon’s 13-game hitting streak came to an end after going 0-for-4. No Drive players collected multiple hits.

Jake Wallace took the loss. He surrendered four runs on three hits. Brian Van Belle started for the Drive and pitched effectively. He tossed 5.0 innings of one run ball, relenting four hits and two walks with six strikeouts, tying a career high.

Grant Ford picked up the win for the Grasshoppers after pitching 3.0 shutout innings in relief. He yielded only one hit and one walk.

Greensboro took an early lead, 1-0, in the first inning on a Fabricio Macias RBI single.

The Drive tied it fourth inning behind Howlett’s solo homer.

The Grasshoppers broke the game open in the eighth inning by scoring four runs. Macias hit an RBI ground-rule double, Jared Triolo slapped a two-run RBI single and a Lolo Sanchez RBI single.

Greensboro added four more runs to its lead one frame later. Liover Peguero collected an RBI on a sac bunt, Aaron Shackelford collected an RBI single and Triolo hit a two-run homer.

Game two is set for noon Wednesday at First National Bank Field. The Drive are scheduled to throw Chris Murphy while the Grasshoppers are slated to throw Michael Burrows.